Kings' GM Geoff Petrie disclosed to the Sacramento Bee that the Kings finally had connected with Webber's management group after nearly a week of the free-agency period had elapsed.

"We've made contact with a member of his negotiating team," Petrie said Sunday. "I think the only thing I'm comfortable saying is that we made contact, and we expect to speak again with his group somewhere around the midpoint of this week."

Petrie declined to reveal the identity of the negotiating team member or the type of contact that was made.

The whereabouts of Webber since the free-agency period began July 1 have been equally clandestine with respect to the media. He met with Detroit Pistons President Joe Dumars on Friday afternoon and has had contact with the San Antonio Spurs. Said Petrie, "If San Antonio wants to renounce David Robinson and Chris wants to go there, there is absolutely nothing we can do about that. It's his choice, always has been and always will be. As much as we desperately want him to come back, if he wants to go there or anywhere else, there is nothing we can do about it."